Good for the heart

Tuesday

Mar 19, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 19, 2013 at 9:56 AM

Alicia Banks

SHELBY — Have a “heart” this weekend and many more could be saved.

Heart disease was linked to more than 2,500 deaths in Cleveland County from 2009-11, according to a state and county health report from the Cleveland County Health Department. And almost 600,000 people die of heart disease in the nation every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Cleveland County Heart Ball Dinner and Auction Saturday will help fund work to keep those numbers from growing. The event, in its 15th year, will benefit the American Heart Association and fund cardiovascular research, education and outreach programs.

About 350 guests are expected to attend the event at the LeGrand Center in Shelby, according to Linda Simoncic, who is overseeing sponsorship and tickets sales for the event.

Last year, the ball and auction raised nearly $200,000. A similar fundraising goal was set for Saturday's event.

Items up for auction at the black-tie dinner range from a New York stay with tickets to a taping of the "Late Show with David Letterman," and the chance to drive four different luxury sports cars -- including Ferrari and McLaren -- on world-class racetracks, according to a press release from the American Heart Association.

Coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common type of heart ailment, occurs when plaque builds up in arteries that supply blood to the heart; a heart attack is usually the first sign of the disease’s onset, the CDC reports.

CHD usually kills more than half of Americans battling heart disease each year, according to the CDC's website.

Tickets are on sale for $150 each until 9 a.m. Wednesday.

More than 48 companies and individuals are contributing funds for heart research and education related to the ball.